Before forming the band, Michaelson and Bronstein collaborated to make the self-produced mini-albumHawaiian Disco. Five songs from that mini-album, and other unreleased material was used in the 2003 filmTwisted, shown in the Raindance Film Festival.

Later in 2010, the band contributed a song to Missed Connections, a short film which is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The band have had two previous major releases. Donkey Stock in 2005 was a six track EP, which helped get the band noticed. In 2006, the band released the album, Schmotime, which was well received by the music press, including a 7.1 Pitchfork rating. Much was made of the up-beat nature of the songs, in stark contrast to the morbid nature of the lyrics.

The album Schmotime was produced by James Ford, of Arctic Monkeys and Mystery Jets fame.

They toured with Magic Numbers, Brakes, Broken Family Band, Bloc Party and Silver Jews.

When not recording and touring with Absentee, all the band members have side projects. Michaelson has Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards, Babak, Melinda and Laurie have Wet Paint and Melinda has The Bronsteins.